Von der Leyen distances herself from diplomatic fraud scandal

 

Von der Leyen distances herself from diplomatic fraud scandal

 

Commission officials say the allegations engulfing the EU’s diplomatic service are an EEAS problem.

 

December 4, 2025 4:00 am CET

By Zoya Sheftalovich and Nicholas Vinocur

https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-scandal-diplomatic-fraud-belgian-authorities/

 

BRUSSELS — Ursula von der Leyen is separating herself from the corruption allegations engulfing the EU’s diplomatic service, with staffers saying it is a non-issue for the Commission chief.

 

After Belgian authorities conducted dawn raids on Tuesday and detained the EU’s former top diplomat Federica Mogherini and ex-European External Action Service Secretary-General Stefano Sannino, Commission officials dismissed it as an EEAS problem — noting that while Sannino took on a top job at the Commission earlier this year, the probe dates back to his previous role.

 

“It’s not the Commission distancing itself, it’s a different institution that’s being investigated,” an EU official said.

 

Helpfully for von der Leyen, Sannino fell on his sword Wednesday, with the Commission announcing he was gone from the helm of its Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf department (DG MENA).

 

Three Commission officials forcefully argued the investigation launched Tuesday — into allegations the EEAS fraudulently awarded a tender to run a training academy for future EU diplomats to the College of Europe in Bruges — had nothing to do with von der Leyen, given the diplomatic service is a separate institution from the Commission.

 

An EU official characterized attacks on the Commission chief as unfair and unwise, coming at a sensitive time when von der Leyen is attempting to shore up support for Ukraine ahead of a crunch December summit of EU leaders.

 

The events take place against the backdrop of tensions between von der Leyen and the current boss of the EEAS, Kaja Kallas.

 

Kallas, who was not in office at the time of the alleged corruption, has also sought to distance herself from the probe. On Wednesday, the former Estonian prime minister sought to drive home the idea that she had been working to clean up the EEAS since her appointment as the EU’s high representative in December 2024.

 

In a letter to EEAS staff seen by POLITICO, the top EU diplomat wrote that she found the allegations against Mogherini and Sannino “deeply shocking,” but that these had predated her time at the EEAS. In the months since then, her team had launched internal reforms including setting up an “Anti-Fraud Strategy” and building stronger cooperation with the EU’s anti-fraud agency, OLAF, and the EPPO, she said.

 

But at issue is who knew what in relation to the claims against Sannino.

 

According to four EEAS employees, speaking to POLITICO in interviews prior to Tuesday’s raids, wider questions were raised about the way Sannino handled appointments for coveted diplomatic posts during his time at the service, including allegations that he had awarded them to favorites.

 

Officials from OLAF visited the secretary-general’s offices prior to his departure from the EEAS, according to two people familiar with the matter.

 

But an EU official said the Commission was not aware of prior complaints about Sannino when he was hired to be the head of a new department covering the Middle East and North Africa.

 

In its statement announcing Tuesday’s raids, the EPPO said it had requested that authorities lift the immunity ― typically given to diplomats, protecting them from legal action ― of “several suspects” prior to the probe, and that this was granted. It did not specify which bodies it had made the requests to.

 

The EU official mentioned above said the EPPO had directed a request to lift Sannino’s immunity to the EEAS in September, and that the Commission had not been made aware of it.

 

An EEAS official did not respond directly to a question about whether such a request had been received. The official said the EEAS would have followed the law in such circumstances.

 

The allegations are not proven and Mogherini, Sannino and the other individual who was detained are presumed innocent until deemed guilty by a court.

 

Sannino did not immediately respond to a request for comment via his European Commission office.

 

Tuesday’s events could also aggravate tensions between EU politicians and Belgian authorities. Two officials questioned the quality of the Belgian justice system, noting that authorities had held flashy press conference and detained suspects but then failed to advance cases in the 2022 “Qatargate” scandal and this year’s bribery probe into Chinese tech giant Huawei’s lobbying activities.